Ag. Comm: Proposed livestock tax would put farmers out of business

    Alabama agriculture commissioner Ron Sparks says
a proposed livestock tax proposed by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency should raise alarms.

    He said the levy would effectively put livestock farmers out of
business by taxing them for supposed greenhouse gas releases by the
animals.

    The proposed tax would affect any farm with more than 25 dairy
cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs. A farmer would pay $175 per dairy
cow, $87.50 per beef cow, and $20 for each hog annually.

    Sparks serves as president of a national agriculture group and
said his organization will submit comments to the EPA opposing the
initiative.

    He also urged all livestock producers to make a public response
by the Nov. 28, 2008 deadline.